ESG & Sustainability Multimedia South Africa

Evelina Tshabalala began the race of a lifetime the day she moved to Cape Town in search of work. With a young child to take care of, 4am was the only time she had to go running. Before long, her pursuit revealed her athletic prowess. Barefoot, Tshabalala ran her first professional 10-kilometre race – and won. That afternoon, she entered a five-kilometre race. She won that too. With the prize money she could finally afford a pair of running shoes. Shortly after, Tshabalala began competing in long-distance races. She completed the London Marathon, placing 25th. With her insurmountable energy, Tshabalala then turned to the gruelling challenge of mountain climbing, and summited three of the world’s highest peaks. The fact that she’s HIV-positive has never held her back. Read Evelina Tshabalala's full story...

Shaygam Newman doesn’t have much. But the little he has, he gives endlessly to over 200 stray creatures. Every animal finds love and care with Newman. “I belong with them, they belong with me. We’re family,” he says. His connection to strays comes from deep within his heart. Orphaned, abused, and abandoned as a child, Newman found himself homeless. Growing up, he slept on pavements. The only warmth he felt came from the dogs beside him. For many, Newman’s desperate situation might have been the crossroads towards a life of crime. But the 23-year-old had more urgent concerns than just his own survival – he had to take action against the mistreatment of animals. Read Shaygam Newman's full story...

One thing you don’t often learn growing up is how to love yourself. Jessica Smith found that words of praise are seldom heard. Conventional expectations shadow most girls. As a result, they struggle to value their unique traits. “There are so many young women and girls across the globe who are unhappy with who they are,” Smith says. So she set out to change lives with words, watercolours, and a fox. Read Jessica Smith's full story...

Bolekwa Salusalu has no hands, but she sews every single day. The 62-year-old is a designer and creator of immaculately stitched wedding dresses, traditional outfits, and school uniforms. Draped around her modest studio are a range of colourful garments, each pattern more interesting than the next. Her friend Luluma Mnyute is perpetually bowled over by Salusalu’s talent. “Bolekwa, without hands she has done this!” Mnyute says. Salusalu works tirelessly to provide for her family from her home in the Eastern Cape, but she does it with style. Read Bolekwa Salusalu's full story...

The bell rings at the end of the day at Ikaya Primary School, and a carnival arrives. Multi-coloured ribbons fly above the dull concrete. A group of girls jump and twirl in the middle of the courtyard. The hard floor outside isn’t the ideal place to rehearse gymnastics, but it’s all they have. The team approach each practice with enthusiasm. Their teacher, Pinkie Yolisa, cheers them on. She is convinced that despite their lack of resources, their talent can be honed. “Sweat and hard work is the only way to victory,” Yolisa says. That and her secret weapon – improvisation. Read Pinkie Yolisa's full story...

As a young boy, Isaac Boshomane loved cars, motorbikes, even tractors – any vehicle that moved. He wanted to know what made them work. With his inquisitive nature, he saw how people took their cars to backyard mechanics, only to have them come back with more problems. Then it all fell into place for Boshomane: he was going to become a mechanic, one who solved problems instead of causing them. Boshomane trained at a technical college, but struggled. The course was theory heavy, without enough practical application. Yet Boshomane pushed through, and opened his own business, Kgabo Cars. High unemployment in his community of Soshanguve left many young people without purpose. So Boshomane started sharing his skills with them on the weekends, and eventually opened his own training centre. Read Isaac Boshomane's full story...

The history of Jagersfontein is rooted in mining. One of the oldest prospecting towns in South Africa, it was the site of discovery of two of the world’s largest diamonds. The mine closed down in 1969, resulting in poverty and unemployment that persist today. When completing community service in the town, Lerato Machetela recognised how young men were impacted by violence and substance abuse. But she also discovered a dormant resource far more valuable than any mineral: potential. Read Lerato Machetela's full story...

Abduraghmaan Morris is an absolute gentleman. He’s always impeccably dressed, and there’s an unmissable tenderness in his voice. When Morris sings, there isn’t a dry eye in the house. That’s not his intention, but the tunes of his choir are so filled with emotion, the reaction can’t be helped. Morris is the president of the oldest Malay choir in Cape Town. Their liedjies, or folk songs, are a blend of Dutch and Eastern melodies, infused with soul and sentiment of centuries gone by. Though they resonate notes of a colourful world, they are also rooted in a deeply painful history. Read Abduraghmaan Morris' full story...

Peering over her glasses, Farieda Abrahams reads aloud from the book she’s just published. As her voice softens, her eyebrows furrow. Precious memories are embedded into every word. How could the feelings of revisiting her childhood not erupt on the grandmother’s face? Growing up in the District Six area of Cape Town, Abrahams watched how drugs, gangsterism and unemployment ravaged the community after the apartheid government forcefully removed them. But for years, she kept the stories of the past on the back page while raising her three children and six grandchildren. Though she fulfilled her obligation to her family, Abrahams had a bigger duty – to share her personal and painful history. Read Farieda Abrahams' full story...

People can’t function when they’re hungry. But every day, children across South Africa are forced to attend classes without having something to eat. Benjamin Constable realised this while coaching basketball at a primary school in Durban. “This just struck me as the most obvious challenge South Africa faces,” he says. “How do you grow and develop if your stomach’s empty?” Trying to uplift kids with sport took a back seat. The children needed nourishment. Constable’s solution didn’t lie outside the box, but in one. For Benjamin Constable's full story,...

Cape Town may be known for its coffee culture, but Valerie Steinmann’s café offers more than a freshly-brewed espresso. Instead, servings of plain milk or water are the order of the day, with a side serving of catnip. That’s because the patrons here are mostly feline. Inspired by her travels to Asia where cat cafés are a trend, Steinmann returned to open South Africa’s first. But rather than exclusively indulging the novelty of being surrounded by kittens while enjoying a meal, she decided to expand on the idea for a greater purpose. Read Valerie Steinmann's full story...

Hope Abrahams forgot about ballroom dancing before she even signed up for it. When the Grade 1 learner arrived for classes, something else caught her eye. Light sparkled off sequined dresses. White boots marched perfectly in sync. Drum majorettes deftly threw their maizes in the air, catching them with ease as they hurtled back to the ground. One girl in particular stood out. She displayed exceptional skill and courage as she led the team, a smile on her face. Abrahams was captivated, and joined drummies instead. Read Hope Abrahams' full...

Charlie Jacobs was keeping silent. He’d discovered he was HIV positive by accident, and remained in denial for years, refusing treatment. When he found himself close to death, Jacobs realised he had to face reality if he wanted to live. He started taking ARVs – a major step towards accepting his status. But it wasn’t enough. Jacobs needed to speak out against stigma, and he found a way to do it with a T-shirt. Read Charlie Jacobs' full story...

It’s a long walk from Smangaliso Nyoni’s home to join his pack. His canine friends await his arrival, eager for treats and play time. Since Nyoni brought his own puppy to the SPCA, he hasn’t stopped returning to volunteer. “When I’m with dogs my troubles don’t exist,” he says. But Nyoni’s bond with them made him the target of bullies. Children in his community mocked him for his loyalty. They didn’t understand why he cared so much for the creatures. The bullying continued, getting progressively worse, until they burnt down his shack. Nyoni lost his school books, uniform, and clothes. Read Smangaliso Nyoni's full story...

Olona Mjakuca draws the bow across her violin, a look of sheer concentration on her face. The instrument is almost as big as her. But the seven-year-old plays with confidence, balancing the violin on her shoulder with the poise of a seasoned performer. It’s a far cry from the introverted girl she was not so long ago. The sound of the strings has transformed Mjakuca, bringing the magic of music to her life. Her teacher, Tembisa Ntshongontshi, has been influential in helping Mjakuca come out of her shell. Read Tembisa Ntshongontshi's full story...